Attendance Report for La Mercè 2016 Report completion: 18/10/2016 Secretaria Tècnica Institut de Cultura de Barcelona
Summary 1. Main features of the festival 2. Attendance by venue 3. Attendance by type of activity 4. Music at La Mercè 5. Advertising data 6. People counting systems
1. Main features of the festival 4 festival days and over 1.2 million attendees In 2016, the feast day of Saint Mercè fell on a Saturday. This meant the festival would be short and condensed, and that most activities would be held over the weekend. The festivities commenced on Thursday 22nd September with the official opening ceremony, in which author Javier Pérez Andújar was guest speaker, and they drew to a close on Sunday 25th. Music: over 270,000 people attended concerts > BAM. Barcelona Acció Musical 56,950 > Mercè Música 109,432 > Radio concerts 105,000 Popular and traditional culture: over 250,000 attendees > La Mercè parade 80,000 > Fire run + family fire run 80,000 > Traditional itinerant activities 55,898 > Human towers and events on Plaça Sant Jaume 34,450 MAC. Mercè Arts de Carrer (street arts festival): over 225,000 spectators A shared festival with venue diversification. In addition to its usual venues, MAC 2016 was held in new locations across the city, such as Trinitat Park, Fabra i Coats, Fàbrica DAMM and the CCCB. In the case of Trinitat Park, artists and neighbours took part in the activities and the decoration of the park that filled with hip-hop and other musical genres, in a very participative format. > MAC Festival 228,946 Ciutadella Park 140,020 Montjuïc Castle 31,000 Palauet Albéniz 28,117 Trinitat Park 19,500 Other venues: Fàbrica DAMM, Fabra i Coats and CCCB 10,309 A more technological festival. The Fabra i Coats premises, Ciutadella Park and the CCCB showcased the award-winning projects from the European Union s CreatiFi programme. Spectators had an insight into the internet of the future as they observed how different stages became simultaneously interconnected, overcoming distances and improving citizen participation. Guest city: Paris La Mercè 2016 welcomed the artistic involvement of different Parisian groups: - 2r2 Cirque (street arts and circus arts cooperative) - Le Monfort Théâtre, a leading light in Parisian cultural life - Le Centquatre Paris (artistic and cultural factory) Thanks to their participation, and that of other cultural performers, the guest city was well represented across all areas of the programme and at a wide range of venues (street arts, concerts, documentaries, firework displays, and the music and firework closing event). Cancellations due to rain Rain threatened on Friday and Sunday, and some of the programmed events were cancelled or finished early. > Friday 23 between 21 and 23 h. The concert on Bogatell beach was postponed until Saturday 24. > Sunday 25 between 20 and 21 h.
Last updated: 29 September 2016 2. Attendance by venue and emblematic events Previous VENUE Thurs Fri Sat Sun days 23 24 25 22 Plaça Sant Jaume 3,400 600 20,200 10,250 Projections on facade of Town Hall 11,650 4,560 28,400 6,030 Avinguda de la Catedral 2,000 3,200 10,700 3,300 Plaça Catalunya - Associa t 66,612 49,000 Fòrum 44,700 34,012 Avinguda Reina Maria Cristina 42,000 10,000 53,000 Fàbrica DAMM 14,090 7,650 Bogatell beach cancelled 12,000 Moll de la Fusta 4,950 17,100 cancelled Plaça Joan Coromines 2,650 5,250 Plaça dels Àngels 3,500 4,400 6,000 Palauet Albéniz 14,065 14,052 Ciutadella Park 18,197 13,931 64,756 43,906 Montjuïc Castle 14,053 16,947 Plaça de la Mercè cancelled 1,450 1,800 Plaça del Rei 1,300 Fabra i Coats 284 650 1.470 1.400 Trinitat Park 11,000 8,500 Others 20,978 6,228 5,830 13,119 4,395 Total sites Parade 80,000 Fire run + family fire run 80,000 Firework display 400 30,000 Music and firework closing event 90,000 Total major events Open day at museums and centres 16,586 107,861 42,745 Itinerant events 4,000 cancelled 43,998 7,900 TOTAL 34,450 50,640 19,200 115,612 78,712 105,000 21,740 12,000 22,050 7,900 13,900 28,117 140,790 31,000 3,250 1,300 3,804 19,500 50,550 759,515 80,000 80,000 30,400 90,000 280,400 167,192 55,898 TOTAL MERCÈ 16 20,978 91,259 112,457 650,436 387,875 1,263,005 FRIDAY 23, CHANGES DUE TO RAIN (from 21 to 23 h approx.) EVENTS CANCELLED: PARTIAL CHANGES: SUNDAY 25, CHANGES DUE TO RAIN (from 20 to 21 h approx.) EVENTS CANCELLED: Bogatell beach, Plaça de la Mercè, Moll de la Fusta, Fabra i Coats, traditional folk gatherings on Plaça Sant Jaume and the Xambanga giant parade CreatiFI at the CCCB, inaugural projection at Plaça Sant Jaume and activities in Ciutadella Park Concert with the Orquestra del Liceu at Moll de la Fusta and two Habanera concerts on Plaça de la Mercè PARTIAL CHANGES: Activities in Ciutadella Park and at Montjuïc Castle ended slightly earlier than planned.
3. Attendance by type of activity 2016 MUSIC 271,382 BAM. Barcelona Acció Musical 56,950 Mercè Música 109,432 Radio concerts 105,000 POPULAR AND TRADITIONAL CULTURE 250,348 La Mercè parade 80,000 Fire run + family fire run 80,000 Traditional itinerant activities 55,898 Human towers and events on Plaça Sant Jaume 34,450 STREET ARTS 228,946 Ciutadella Park 140,020 Montjuïc Castle 31,000 Palauet Albéniz 28,117 Trinitat Park 19,500 Other venues: Fàbrica DAMM, Fabra i Coats and CCCB 10,309 OTHER ACTIVITIES 512,329 Music and firework closing event 90,000 Projections on façade of Town Hall 50,640 Firework display 30,400 Meeting of associations / Associa t 115,612 Open day to museums and other centres 167,192 Remaining venues and other activities 58,485 FESTIVAL TOTAL 1,263,005 NOTES: > In 2016 the festival ran over 4 days, three days less than in 2015. > MAC Festival. In addition to Ciutadella Park, Montjuïc Castle and Palauet Albéniz, in 2016 the MAC Festival was held in new locations, such as Trinitat Park, Fabra i Coats, Fàbrica DAMM and the CCCB. > Other venues and activities. In 2015, 150,000 people attended the wine show (there is no data for 2016) and 22,000 spectators viewed the projections on the façade of Casa Batlló (a one-off event in 2015).
4. Music at La Mercè 2016 > A total of 91 concerts on 12 different stages, with the inclusion of new locations, such as Fabra i Coats and Plaça de la Mercè, and the addition of two new stages at Moll de la Fusta. > Once again Mercè Música and BAM promoted up-and-coming talents, with new groups emerging from Sona9, the Brot competition and the Cabal Musical initiative, and from the city s music schools. La Mercè 2016 music summary Stages Concerts Audience BAM 6 44 56,950 MERCÈ MÚSICA* 5 31 109,432 RADIO CONCERTS 1 16 105,000 TOTAL 12 91 271,382 * Of the 36 concerts included on the Mercè Música programme, 5 were cancelled due to rain. The concerts scheduled for Friday on Bogatell beach were held on Saturday 24. BAM 2016 Stage Concerts Audience Moll de la Fusta main stage 7 14,500 Plaça dels Àngels 8 13,900 Fàbrica DAMM outside 8 11,600 Plaça Joan Coromines 11 7,900 Moll de la Fusta small stage 6 7,550 Fàbrica DAMM inside 4 1,500 Total 44 56,950 MERCÈ MÚSICA 2016 Stage Concerts Audience Fòrum Park 7 78,712 Avinguda de la Catedral 5 13,700 Bogatell beach 3 12,000 Fabra i Coats premises and square 12 2,770 Plaça de la Mercè 4 2,250 Total 31 109,432 RADIO CONCERTS 2016 Stage Concerts Audience Avinguda Reina Maria Cristina 16 105,000 Total 16 105,000
5. Advertising data Advertising materials 301,238 general programmes 301,238 folded programmes Catalan Spanish English+French 100,000 programme summaries 40,000 20,000 40,000 2,324 street banners Virreina information: 4 festival days Virreina information office: number of queries 4,253 In person 3,640 Telephone queries 473 Telephone service for hearing impaired 140 Other information points: number of queries 3,745 Ciutadella Park information stand 2,195 Montjuïc Castle information point 800 Trinitat Park information point 750 Internet: from 1 to 30 September Webs Sessions Viewed pgs. Pg./session Mercè website 892,795 3,960,885 4,4 BAM website 59,722 221,195 3,7 MAC website 6,368 23,507 3,7 Barcelona Cultura website 49,079 84,796 1,7 Social networks Facebook Views of La Mercè publications 1,219,357 Vimeo Views of La Mercè publications 670,763 Twitter (from 22 to 24) #Mercè16 8,940 Instagram (from 22 to 24) #Mercè16 1,090 Mercè app downloads 39,341 iphone 16,762 Android 22,579 Suggestions/complaints via the municipal IRIS* system Website information 3 Programme/activity 2 Annoyances for citizens 4 Organization 3 Misc. 5 * Files received in September 2016.
6. PEOPLE COUNTING SYSTEMS For several years, mainly for security purposes, the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona (ICUB, Culture Institute of Barcelona) has used several mechanisms for managing maximum occupancy levels at all La Mercè s venues, shows and events. This requirement, together with the improvement and development of new IT systems, has made it possible to gradually apply different data collection methods to estimate attendance at the various organised activities and, finally, for the festival as a whole. In 2015, for the first time, a thermal sensor system was installed at the different accesses to Ciutadella Park and Montjuïc Castle. The system delivered more reliable attendance data for two of the locations for which it had been most difficult to provide audience numbers. Consequently, for the second year in a row, crowd counting at the festival was the result of six different systems depending on the type of venue or activity: TYPE OF VENUE /ACTIVITY EXAMPLES COUNTING METHOD 6.1. Venues without controlled access 6.2. Open venues with ongoing activity 6.3. Events with large crowds Avinguda de la Catedral, Moll de la Fusta, Plaça Sant Jaume... Ciutadella Park and Montjuïc Castle Music and fireworks, parade, fire run... Venue managers and ICUB* Technical Secretariat Thermal sensors at access points* Local police and Mercè organizers 6.4. Fòrum stages Fòrum Turnstiles at venue access points 6.5. Closed venues Saló de Cent, Palauet Albéniz, museums... Staff at access points 6.6. Sport events Mercè race, harbour swim Registrations * You will find detailed information on systems 5.1 and 5.2 on the following pages.
6.1. Venues without controlled access In venues without controlled access, the final audience estimate is carried out using two types of data: 1. Data provided by managers at each location or stage, who estimate audience numbers for each concert according to capacity data received beforehand. EXAMPLE 1: > VENUE CAPACITY DATA SHEET: AVINGUDA DE LA CATEDRAL. Area: 3,400 sq.m. Description: 4 side sections of the central seated area (700 people) and 2 FOH sections Max. recommended capacity (4 zones): 6,900 people (approx.) (4 people/sq.m.) > AUDIENCE ESTIMATE: Day Start time Activity Initial audience Max. audience 19.00 Opening sardana dance. Cobla Sant Jordi- 500 600 22 Ciutat de Barcelona 22.30 MM Concert. Alfonso Vilallonga «Alphosphores Variations» 1,300 1,400 2. Question: Do audiences change from one show to the next or are they the same? (Estimates according to time band and type of show). FOR INSTANCE: In this case, the start time of the two shows (three and a half hours apart) and the type of activity (sardana dance and concert) suggest that the audience is not the same. For this reason, both maximum crowd numbers are used. FINAL ESTIMATE Venue Day Start time Activity Initial audience Max. audience 19.00 Opening sardana dance. Cobla 500 600 600 Avinguda de la Catedral- Mercè stage 22 Sant Jordi-Ciutat de Barcelona 22.30 MM Concert. Alfonso Vilallonga «Alphosphores Variations» 1,300 1,400 1,400 Total estimated audience at Avinguda de la Catedral: 2,000 people EXAMPLE 2: In the example below, audiences from the central concert are believed to be made up of people who have also attended the first concert and of people who have arrived to attend the third concert. For this reason, maximum crowd numbers from the first and third concerts are used. Fàbrica DAMM DAMM stage Max. Start time Activity Initial aud. FINAL EST. audience 19.00 BAM concert. Ocellot 3,000 5,000 5,000 20.15 BAM concert. Sènior i el Cor Brutal 6,600 9,000 21.30 BAM concert. Crystal Fighters 9,500 10,000 10,000 Total estimated audience at Fàbrica DAMM: 15,000 people
6.2. Open venues with ongoing activity During La Mercè 2015, within the framework of the municipal programme Barcelona Open Challenge, a crowd counting project was launched that, among other achievements, obtained very accurate data on the numbers of people at La Mercè passing through open spaces that are more difficult to monitor, such as Ciutadella Park and Montjuïc Castle. At the different access points to these venues, thermal sensors were installed to detect body heat. The data generated is then used to produce numeric indicators. This year, as in 2015, the company responsible for the system corroborated the data with parallel counts and they concluded that the sensors are highly accurate. Ctrl4 Enviro SL, experts in control and monitoring systems, oversaw the development of the project with the support of the UAB s Centre de Visió per Computador (CVC, Computer Vision Centre), a leading international research body in the field. The analysis of collected data highlighted that, in the case of Ciutadella Park, the total number of people passing through during La Mercè activities was much higher than estimates in previous years had suggested. In the case of Montjuïc Castle, however, the number was much closer to estimates made in previous years. Although maximum numbers to Ciutadella Park were similar to previous estimates, the new system highlighted that at this venue there is a much higher turnaround of people (the average daily audience was 2.25 times higher than the estimate made until 2014). Patches of heat registered by one of the cameras in Ciutadella Park. In contrast, in the case of Montjuïc Castle, the number of people attending did not vary as much in relation to other years as people who go tend to spend longer there as its location makes it more difficult to reach.